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Released: September 01, 2011

Rebuilding after Irene? Watch for contractor scams

Source: Eileen A.J. Connelly, Associated Press (USA Today)

Homeowners who found themselves in the sights of Hurricane Irene may soon be targeted by scammers looking to profit from their pain. As attention turns to repair and rebuilding, residents in affected areas should be aware that disasters often attract unscrupulous contractors who will prey on those trying to put their lives back together. The National Consumer Law Center reported in late 2008 that complaints about contractor fraud to the Louisiana Attorney General's office leaped to 6,000 in the two years after Hurricane Katrina, from about 150 a year prior to the storm. One common scheme is for scam artists to ask for an up-front payment and never show up to do the work. A survey by Louisiana State University found that was the case for 61 percent of respondents who had been victims of contractor fraud in the three years after Katrina.

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